Defense no longer Rockies' weakness

Team showing improvement from 2012

SAN FRANCISCO -- There was no defending the Rockies' 64-98 record last season. At least not with a glove. As bad as the Rockies' starting pitchers were, the defense provided company in the misery.

Colorado led baseball with 122 errors, 18 above the National League average, leading first-year manager Walt Weiss to place emphasis during spring training on converting groundballs into outs. He wants the Rockies to lead the league in double plays, and needs an outfield with range that can prevent teams from taking extra bases.

It's way too early to say this will be a Summer of Glove, circa 2007, but the Rockies are encouraged by their start on defense, while also admitting it's connected to better health and improved pitching.

"As a hitter you get more comfortable in long, slow at-bats where you can step back and think about it. We had a lot of at-bats like that against us last year that took forever," center fielder Dexter Fowler said. "When you have a pitcher who works fast, the batter is like, 'What the heck?' And it definitely helps us in the field."

Defense remains one of the toughest statistics to quantify. Even teams that make few errors can be poor if their fielders don't have range. Baseball-reference.com uses a runs saved metric based on ranking plays made above average to measure a total defensive contribution. The Rockies were dreadful as a team last season, starting at shortstop, where they ranked dead last at minus-20.

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By any rubric, the position hurt them with Troy Tulowitzki, a two-time Gold Glove winner, limited to 47 games because of a left groin injury that required surgery.

Tulo's return has changed the picture, if not the mentality of the defense. The Rockies' grade -- all together, it's a small sample size -- is plus 34, second best in baseball.

"You see Tulo getting to balls in the gap, in the 5-6 hole, and that makes a huge difference," Fowler said. "He steals hits. You can't help but notice that if you are the other team. It's a big deal."

Tulo appears to be at peak health. During the past week he's thrown off balance and completed a double play with a pirouette and a fastball to first.

"I feel really good out there again. I am comfortable in the game," said Tulowitzki, who suffered a spree of throwing errors early last season as he tried to compensate for his leg injury. "It's just nice to be fine and not have to worry about anything."

Second baseman Josh Rutledge has made a seamless transition on the double-play pivot, but is still finding his way on groundballs. A shortstop by trade, he struggled to convert a pair of double plays in San Francisco that helped fuel big innings.

"I am sure it's not easy. He's making the routine plays, and he's only going to get better," Tulowitzki said.

Perhaps the most noticeable improvement has been in the outfield. Carlos Gonzalez, Fowler and Michael Cuddyer have started strong. CarGo won a Gold Glove last season, but admittedly wasn't at his best. The Rockies' outfield combined for a minus-15 rating last year, according to baseball-reference. Fowler shakes his head at the metrics, believing the exact opposite.

"I think we are one of the best outfields, if not the best," Fowler said. "When I hear that stuff, I am like 'are you serious?' Look at where we play. Center fielders come into our park, see how big it is, and say, 'Dex, I don't know how you can play here everyday!'"

Gonzalez, who has thrown out three runners trying to advance to second on base hits, predicted that Fowler will eventually a Gold Glove.

"He doesn't get enough credit for what he does and how he plays," Gonzalez said. "He's really good and he makes us all better."

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